Sir Hope Grant Had Given Him The Assurance That Unless Absolutely Forced
To Engage He Would Postpone The Action For Two Hours.
This small party of
four men rode without hesitation, and at a rapid pace, through the
skirmishers of the Chinese army.
The rapidity of their movements
disconcerted the Chinese, who allowed them to pass without opposition and
almost without notice. They rode through the Streets of Chan-chia-wan
without meeting with any molestation, although they were crowded with the
mustering men of the imperial army. They gained Tungchow without let or
hinderance, after having passed through probably not less than 30,000 men
about to do battle with the long hated and now feared foreigners. It may
have been, as suggested, that they owed their safety to a belief that they
were the bearers of their army's surrender! Arrived at Tungchow, Mr. Loch
found the Sikh escort at the temple outside the gates unaware of any
danger - all the Englishmen being absent in the town, where they were
shopping - and a letter left by Mr. Parkes warning them on return to
prepare for instant flight, and saying that he was off in search of Prince
Tsai. In that search he was at last successful. He found the high
commissioner, he asked the meaning of the change that had taken place, and
was told in curt and defiant tones that "there could be no peace, there
must be war."
The last chance of averting hostilities was thus shown to be in vain.
Prince Tsai indorsed the action of Sankolinsin. Mr. Parkes had only the
personal satisfaction of knowing that he had done everything he could to
prove that the English did not wish to press their military superiority
over an antagonist whose knowledge of war was slight and out of date. He
had done this at the greatest personal peril. It only remained to secure
his own safety and that of his companions. By this time the whole party of
Englishmen had re-assembled in the temple; and Mr. Loch, anxious for Mr.
Parkes, had gone into the city and met him galloping away from the yamen
of the commissioner. There was no longer reason for delay. Not an
Englishman had yet been touched, but between this small band and safety
lay the road back through the ranks of Sankolinsin's warriors. From
Tungchow to the advanced post of Sir Hope Grant's army was a ten mile
ride; and most of the two hours' grace had already expired. Could it be
done? By this time most of the Chinese troops had reached Chan-chia-wan,
where they had been drawn up in battle array among the maize-fields and in
the nullahs as already described. From Tungchow to that place the country
was almost deserted; and the fugitives proceeded unmolested along the road
till they reached that town. The streets were crowded partly with armed
citizens and peasants, but chiefly with panic-stricken householders; and
by this time the horses were blown, and some of them almost exhausted.
Through this crowd the seven Englishmen and twenty Sikhs walked their
horses, and met not the least opposition. They reached the eastern side
without insult or injury, passed through the gates, and descending the
declivity found themselves in the rear of the whole Chinese army. The
dangers through which they had passed were as nothing compared with those
they had now to encounter. A shell burst in the air at this moment,
followed by the discharge of the batteries on both sides. The battle had
begun. The promised two hours had expired. The fugitives were some ten
minutes too late.
The position of this small band in the midst of an Asiatic army actually
engaged in mortal combat with their kinsmen may be better imagined than
described. They were riding down the road which passed through the center
of the Chinese position, and the banks on each side of them were lined
with matchlock-men, among whom the shells of the English guns were already
bursting. Parties of cavalry were not wanting here, but out in the plain
where the Tartar horsemen swarmed in thousands the greatest danger of all
awaited them. Their movements were slow, painfully slow, and the progress
was delayed by the necessity of waiting for those who were the worst
mounted; but they were "all in the same boat, and, like Englishmen, would
sink or swim together." In the accumulation of difficulties that stared
them in the face not the least seemed to be that they were advancing in
the teeth of their own countrymen's fire, which was growing fiercer every
minute. In this critical moment men turned to Mr. Parkes, and Captain
Barbazon expressed the belief of those present in a cool brave man in
arduous extremity when he cried out, "I vote Parkes decides what is to be
done." To follow the main road seemed to be certain destruction and death
without the power of resisting; for even assuming that some of them could
have cut their way through the Tartar cavalry, and escaped from the
English shell, they could hardly have avoided being shot down by the long
lines of matchlock-men who were ready to fire on them the instant they saw
their backs. There was only one possible avenue of escape, and that was to
gain the right flank of the army, and endeavor to make their way by a
detour round to the English lines. Assuredly this was not a very promising
mode of escape, but it seemed to have the greatest chances of success. But
when the Chinese, who had up to this regarded their movements without
interfering, saw this change in their course, they at once took measures
to stop it. A military mandarin said if they persisted in their attempt
they would be treated as enemies and fired upon; but that he was willing
to respect their flag of truce, and that if they would accompany him to
the general's presence he would obtain a safe conduct for them.
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Page 131 of 188
Words from 132574 to 133584
of 191255
